Pressure cooker closure



April 28, 1953 w. J. DURIN'G, SR., ErAL 2,636,635

PRESSURE COOKER CLOSURE Filed Aug. 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1953 w. J. DURING, SR., Erm. 2,636,635

PRESSURE COOKER CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1947 ISLE-:3-

April 28, 1953 w. J. DURING, SR., Erm. 2,636,635

v PRESSURE cooxER cLosuRE Filed' Aug. 2o, 1947 3 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Apr. 28, 1953 'PRESSURE co'oKoR-f ionosmm William J. During, sri, and WilliamJ;nuring,g1r., Fayetteville, NYL.

Application Aug-ust 20, 71,947;l SerialiNoffdW `2. Claims.

Thea invention relatesv "primarily'y tol pressureY cookersfo` theikin'd. eomprisingf a cooking receptaclevorf vessely anda detachableV closure` or ycoter Whichgfwhen the cooker is1in` use, are held: inra furthert object fof the rirmention is`V to provide f aipressurezcookeriof 'the aforesaidllkind wherein thefclosure and receptacleportionsot the cooker areispiiovided with meansy Whi'chlareengageable byi rel'ai'flwe;rotationool said1 portions to seatv the closureA portionl tightlyJ on vthe receptacle portion! and securely interlockfsaidf portionsiof the cooker; and;xrflflrereinf1 one ofiv said portions off the cooker hfasrmanuallyf* movable means'- mounted? thereon anden'gageable Witlrftl'le` otherfportion of'tlie` cookerl for relatively.` rotatingA said portions ofl tlievcooker into and out of' interlocked relation at'wlill.

A further object of tlie invention isv to-provide aL-"pressure` cooker ofthe` aforesaid kind which is readilyl portable and inwhichithe'rec'eptacle andraclosure` `are relatively-rotative into and out` Lof cooking" chamber form-ing interlocked'" engagement by two driving means" which 'are arrangedL at" opposite `"sides ofthe cookerto'be 1ocat'ed externallyu of. the cooking "chamber, andA each, of.` which, driving .means comprises a lifting.lia.ndlelocated et the upper side of. the, closure and heldto the closure forrotationot said;

handleu mea-ns rotative,` by` said handle;` and; fixed meansonfthe receptacle with which said rotatine; means ist` -coactiva toil effect.relative;l rotation betweenxthe closure andlfreceptacle wifi-enl the handle'ri'sxrotated in'v eachdirection.

9A: iurthen object of the invention" is Yto provide apressurev coolserf li'avinga receptacle and cl`o sure relatively rotative into and out `oian interelockedzrelationlin: wiiielii` they form sea-led cookingfcliamber, and means responsive to pressure* in'l `.thel` cooker: to look the closure" andL receptacleagainst rotation: oiitf of said inter-locked relationy While: pressure. in the.; cooking chamber equals or exceeds a selected low pressurev `at Which-it `is safe;toneinoxzeltliaolosura A fuit/hen obj eictsof the invent-,ioni is to yprox/ide a-ipressure: Afcoolieia thaw-ing improved' coordinated'rt-arrangementl et" two pressure relief .T2 vaiveswone? oaiwhich a.A thermallyr responsive safetyfvalve and the other-oneof:whicnis apressure responsive: valvel operative, to` prei/ent.l pressure; ini t'hexoooker1frorrrexceeding; a selected` maximum.` i

Other objects and advantages of the inventionv willi` animan from. the; fol1owing;.description in detail ofathe two; .illustrativeI` enibodiments`A ofthe, inventionA illustrated: thee; accompanying. drawings?.

ini the,l drawings, like: `reference l characters.

designate correspondingiparts..

Figurer l isi a side elevation-,ot apressurevcookfer, embodying; theinvention;

Figure 2'J isz as; topfplan ViewI for. said.. cooker; Figure: 3` .is fragmentary-f sectional; View taken Rigore. esista. fragmentary. sectional View: taken omtheilines=f-4i-4i4 ofzFigunezZi;

lii'igiuie aaviewzf-:taken onathez line `5,---5 of Figurant; b

Figure 'Irwisrawiew takenronythexlinei 1`-1r of Figur-e153;

Eiguref'i israriperspeetive Viewa'ot a part: of'one of; the L means fot "eieetingi relative Arotation of therrclosure receptaclettofxthecooker;

Fig-niiet@ is"` a: detail viewffshowingf a feature of theacookeryandi Figures-windt l-lf; area views: similark respective u 1y i to Figures:94;; amil 6'.- and showing ai `modied form of J cookeriembodying: thel invention; Figure 11` being assectionaliView` takers or:1 the line ifil1 I- o Figure 11m `'Thefcoolteit-r\sliovimini Figures; to; giwill be first describedi.

The-icookeif' includes:Y ianfopen` topv receptacle ornessel: |101; .preferably formedrot cast" metalll said:

receptacl'eibeing tormediwitlr a cylindricalupper portion andpreferably'being substantiaily cylindrica'ly throughoutitsvdepthl rvThe receptacle is seatable iiiran kupright?position`` `and has extendingl 4radially1 'outwardltherefrom atldiametrically- "opposite:rpoilitsttwo-fprojectionsl if' `Which are fixedl'ye lfie'liirtofthereceptacleandp preferably are integral therewith. The projections lli 'are 1o"- catedl' as snortf` distanceibelowfthe top' of the recept-acle andi form -tlie inner'parts of*V twohandles for the receptacl 'f-Eacli' handle vv` has la' second orfiiandigripfpart IIflvvliiblrextends out fromy be-l neatnr part H thereof'fradiallfy'of" the receptacle andt is-"'netllyilie-ldto-itsfassociated part `H bysuitableffastening-means IIb, said" parts; l I'a of tlief` handles# preferably' being formed of heat in'- sulatingfmaterial.`

Thefcoolierlineliidesea detachable closure or aesaees cover adapted to seal the receptacle when interlocked therewith, said closure having a top wall i2 which is preferably formed of cast metal and is formed with an integral pendent annular flange i3, the top wall being preferably of domelike forro. rThe closure flange is recessed part way up `from its lower edge at the inner side of the flange to loosely receive in the recess the cylindrical upper portion of the receptacle and to provide on said flange a downwardly facing annular shoulder ite adapted to overlie the top edge of said upper portion of the receptacle. rihe closure preferably also includes an annular sealing gasket is which is preferably formed -of compressible material, such as rubber, and has its outer portion confined in an annular groove which is formed in the recessed portion of the closure flange along the shoulder ita. The inner portion of the gasket abuts shoulder lita and is seatable at its bottom face on the top edge of the receptacle for compression of the gasket between said shoulder and receptacle edge to form a pressure-tight joint between the receptacle and closure.

The receptacle and closure are provided with means whereby, while the closure is fitted on the upper portion of the receptacle, relative rotation between the closure and receptacle in one direction about the vertical axis of the cooker will draw the closure and receptacle together into tight sealing engagement and will positively interlock them against direct axial separating movement and securely frictionally lock them against accidental reverse rotation, said means being releasable, upon relative rotation between the closure and receptacle in the opposite direction, to free the closure for lifting thereof on of the receptacle. Said means comprises a plurality of substantially flat lugs or projections l5 which are formed on and extend radially inward from the closure iiange iii adjacent the lower edge of the flange and are arranged to lie flatwise in a common horizontal plane parallel to the seating plane of the receptacle when the closure is applied to the receptacle. The lugs l5 are of wedge form and have their top faces slopthe same direction circumferentially of the cooker entirely across each lug at'an angle to said common plane which is within the angle of repose or friction. Six of the lugs l5 are provided in the construction of cooker shown in the drawings. A corresponding number of correspondingly spaced substantially flat lugs or projections iii are` formed on and extend radially outward from the receptacle adjacent the top of thereceptacle and above the level of the receptacle handles. The lugs it are of wedge form and are arranged iiatwise in a common horizontal plane parallel to the seating plane of the receptacle and have their bottom faces all sloping relatively to said plane circumferentially of the cooker entirely across each lug atthe same angle to said at which the `top faces of lugs i5 are sloped relatively tothe plane 'of the set of lugs l5.

lThe two sets of lugs i5 and lb are so arranged on the closure and receptacle that lugs I5 are wedgeable under lugs le (as shown in Figure 9) to draw the closure down on the receptacle and compress the gasket lli between the aforesaid closure shoulder its and the upper edge of the receptacle with the lowerl edge of the closure flange i3 out of contact with the receptacle and the receptacle handles, as shown. The shapes of the, lugs of the two l sets of wedge-like lugs described permits them to be easily wedged into a tight-holding frictional engagement which will securely hold the closure and receptacle interlocked against accidental relative rotation in closure releasing direction. The sets of lugs or locking wedges will positively interlock the closure and receptacle against direct axial separation while the lugs i5 are engaged under lugs i6 and, by reason of their aforesaid Wedge shape, will securely hold the closure and receptacle against accidental rotation out of interlccked relation even while the lugs l5 and it are only slightly overlapped. The wide sloping faces of the lugs also afford a relatively wide range of wedging action to insure tight sealing of the cooker.

The sizes and spacing of the lugs of the two sets of lugs are such that the lugs iii may be passed vertically between the lugs it when the closure is rotated slightly counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 2 from the position thereof shown in` the drawings. The lugs i5. on the closure and the lugs IE on the receptacle serve to approximately center the closure on the receptacle for relative rotation of the closure about a common axis which is normal-to the seating plane of the receptacle. Preferably the receptacle is provided adjacent each projection il with an arcuate projection lee to assist in so centering the closure on the receptacle.v The closure and receptacle preferably are provided with arrow-shaped indicia il and i8 at the exterior thereof which, when in vertical register, position the lugs l5 for verticalpassage thereof past or between lugs i6 with the thinner edges of the two sets of lugs closely adjacent. When the closure is fitted on the receptacle with the indicia ll and i3 in register, the closure and receptacle may be interloeked and released vby relative rotating movements of small amplitude.

The cooker is provided with means whereby a user may handle the closure with ease and safety and may effect relative rotation of the closure and receptacle into and out of interlocked relation with ease and dispatch, which means will now be described. 1.

The closure is provided with two projections 2li which extend` radially and horizontally outward from the flange i3 of the closure at diametrically opposite points and which preferably, as shown, are of approximately the same shape and size in plan as the projections ll on the receptacle. The projections 2@ arel xedly held to and preferably are formed integrally with the closure andare adapted to overlie projections ll without contacting the latter when the closure is in sealed position on the receptacle` Above each projection 2li, and abutting a flat upper surface portion of the projection, is one of two knobs or handles 2l each of which preferably is formed of heat insulating material. Each such knob or handle is fixed by a pin 23 to the upper end of a .different one of two vertically disposed handle shafts 22, each of which is journaled in a different one of the closure projections 2B. Each shaft 22 has xed on its lower end coaxially With the shaft a disk 2c which is seated in a downwardly .facing recess in a flat bottom face of the projectically disposed crank or wristpin 25 which is eccentric to the axis of the associated disk and shaft.'` The recess in the bottom of each closure or partly melt sufficiently to be blown out of sleeve 66 by pressure in the cooker. When so blown out of the sleeve, the plug will strike the pivoted end of arm 43 and be arrested thereby, or its velocity substantially spent, so that liability of the plug doing damage or injury when blown out is avoided. The boss 45 and valve casing 40 also assist in trapping a blown plug 68.

The cooker also may be provided with a latch or lock which, when the closure and receptacle are interlocked, is responsive to pressure in the cooker to positively prevent manual. relative turning of the closure and receptacle out of inter locked relation so long as such pressure exceeds a selected value at which it is safe to release the closure.

For this purpose, there is threaded upward into a recess in one of the closure projections 29 a small piston cylinder 58 which is open at its upper end. Slidable vertically in this cylinder is a piston l having a stein or latch pin por tion 56 pendent therefrom and extending slidably through an aperture in a bottom end wall of cylinder 58. An expansion spring 59 normally holds the piston lifted with the lower end of the pin or stern 56 slightly above the top or the underlying receptacle projection i l while the cooker is assembled and there is insuiiicient pressure in the cooker to depress the piston :l

against the resistance of spring 59. A passage 92 extends from the inner side of closure iiange i 3 into projection 29 to a point over piston 5l.

With the cooker assembled for use, the piston 51 is depressible by pressure of a selected small value in the cooker to drive the stem or pin down into a recess 99 formed in the underlying receptacle projection il and prevent sufficient relative rotation of the closure and receptacle to release the closure. elongated across projection ii as shown, so that pin 56 can engage therein in diilerent interk locked 'relations of-the closure and receptacle. When the pressure operated latch is in latching position, it may be. released bythe user lifting arm 43 to permit steam in the cooker to lift valve 4l and vent from the c-ooker.

The modified cooker shown in Figures and l1 diiers from that shown in Figures 1 to 9 only in the respects shown and now to be described.

The disk 24, crank pin and the handle return spring 33 associated with each handle 2i are omitted inthe modified construction as are also the recesses in the closure projections 29. The modified closure projections 29m of this form of cooker have flat horizontal bottorn faces. Each handle shaft 22 journaled in each projection 20m has xed on its lower end a pinion 69 which is coaxial with the shaft and the upper face of which pinion abuts the horizontal nat bottom face of the projection 29m.

In themodied cooker, the cam slot or groove 30 yin each receptacle projection ii is omitted. The modied receptacle projections Hm of the modied form of cooker have each formed thereon a short arcuate rack lil which is concentric with the vertical axis of the cooker receptacle and has teeth projecting from its outer edge radially of the receptacle for meshing of each rack 'I9 with a diilerent one of the pinions 69 when the closure is applied as described in connection with the cooker shown in Figures 1 to 9. The two racks l0 are located in diametrically oppositepostions.

Pcess itil somewhat In Figures 10 and 11, the parts are shown in the relation thereof which exists while the closure and receptacle are interlocked in tight sealed relation. Upon simultaneous turning of the handles and pinions in the direction indicated by the arrows H (Figure 11), the pinion teeth will act on the rack teeth as drivers and cam the closure into non-interlocked relation with the receptacle and contrarotation of the pinion will cause interlocking of the closure and receptacle. Except as pointed out above, the two forms of cooker are of like construction.

We claim:

l. A pressure cooker comprising a receptacle having two radial projections located at opposite sides of its rim, a detachable cover having two radial projections located at opposite sides of its rim, said receptacle and cover being releasably engageable with said projections substantially coinciding and being relatively rotatable about a common vertical axis while so engaged into and out of an interlocked relation in which they form a sealed cooking chamber, an upwardly facing cam groove in each of said receptacle projections, two handles having shafts journaled in and extending down through said cover projections, and a pin eccentrically xed to the lower end of each handle shaft and rotatable therewith in engagement with one of said cam grooves to efectrelative rotation of the cover and receptacle by rotation of said handles While the cover and receptacle are engaged.

2. A pressure cooker comprising a receptacle having two radial projections located at opposite sides of its rim, a detachable cover having two radial projections located at opposite sides of its rim, said receptacle and cover being releasably engageable with said projections substantially coinciding and being relatively rotatable about a common vertical axis while so engaged into and out of an interlocked relation in which they form a sealed cooking chamber, two handles having shafts journaled in and extending down through said cover projections, a pendent wrist pin eccentrically fixed to the lower end of each handle shaft, and an upwardly facing cam groove in each of said receptacle projections forv receiving a direrent one of said wrist pins, each of said cam grooves extending outwardly from the body of the receptacle toward the outer end of its projection, whereby relative rotation of the cover and receptacle is effected by rotation of said' handles while the cover and receptacle are en gaged.

WILLIAM J. DURING, SR. VVITJLIANIv J. DURING, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,361,946 Whitaker Dec. 14, 1920 1,583,396 Deniuth May 4, 1926 1,706,051 Auchincloss Mar. 19, 1929 1,929,644 LeRoy Oct. 10, 1933 2,102,962 Ludington Dec. 21, 1937 2,209,081 Rocio July 23, 1940 2,218,188 Wittenberg Oct. 15, 1940 2,334,448 Sheridan Nov. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 524,940 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1940 

